Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands. The first settlers were the Ortoiroid people, an Archiac Period culture of Amerindian hunters and fisherman
Government
Puerto Rico is a self-government commonwealth in association with the United States. The leader of the state is the President of the United States. The head of government is an elected Governor. Currently, Puerto Rico's Governor is Luis Fortuño.
Puerto Rico has authority over its internal affairs where the United States controls interstate trade, foreign, relations and commerce, customs administration, land and sea, immigration and emigration, nationality and citizenship, military service and bases, declaration of war, constitutionality of laws, treaties, Social Security, and other areas generally controlled by the Federal government of the United States.
Currency When the United States exchanged the Puerto Rican "peso" to the dollar, the coins of
many countries circulated freely in the island. During the colonization of Puerto Rico, they used the same currency that they use in Spain. Today they use the Ameri
can dollar
Economy
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. Plantation sugar production dominated Puerto Rico's economy until the 1940's.
Recently the economy has suffered budget cuts from the United States. The Puerto Rican economy has depended heavily on the tax incentives given to the U.S mainland companies and on federal transfers. In 1993, it is estimated that 100,000 Puerto Ricans were employed by companies and another 200,000 were indirectly unemployed.
Some economists say that the idea that Puerto Rico has an economy is somewhat misleading. Puerto Rico has very few natural resources of economic value and its economy relies mainly on Federal Aid from the U.S Government, which depends on the industrialization programs and the tax incentives that U.S offers.
The GDP of Puerto Rico is $67.87 billion and the purchasing power parity is $17,100. Puerto Rican workers that are covered by the U.S Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are subject only to the Federal minimum wage ($5.15) and all applicable regulations. Workers that are not covered my the FLSA will be subject to a minimum wage that is at least 70% of the Federal minimum wage or the applicable mandatory decree rate.
Tourism in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has a lot of exotic locations such as their white sand beaches, rain forests, and mountains. Puerto Rico is warm year round and usually has the most tourists from December through April. There are many great places to visit depending on what region of the country you are in. In the North, top spots include: Historic Old San Juan district and Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo. In the South there is the Serralles Castle and the Aguirre Forest Reserve. In the East you have El Yunque and the Luquillo Beach. In West there is the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge and the Mona Island Iglesia Porta Coeli.
Ernesto Antonio "Tito" Puente
One of the most famous Puerto Ricans is Tito Puente who was a pioneer in Latin Jazz and Salsa music. Tito was born April 20, 1923 and died June 1, 2000. He was best known as the "King of the Timbales" and the "King of Latin Jazz". Puente was most popular during the 1950's and popularized Afro-Cuban and Caribbean sounds like the Mambo, the Son, and the Cha-cha-cha. In his lifetime, he won many awards including five Grammy's. Tito was so famous in Puerto Rico that he had a session of the Puerto Rican Senate dedicated to him and even performed on the Senate floor.
Puerto RicoKendra Andrews
Government
Puerto Rico is a self-government commonwealth in association with the United States. The leader of the state is the President of the United States. The head of government is an elected Governor. Currently, Puerto Rico's Governor is Luis Fortuño.
Puerto Rico has authority over its internal affairs where the United States controls interstate trade, foreign, relations and commerce, customs administration, land and sea, immigration and emigration, nationality and citizenship, military service and bases, declaration of war, constitutionality of laws, treaties, Social Security, and other areas generally controlled by the Federal government of the United States.
Currency
many countries circulated freely in the island. During the colonization of Puerto Rico, they used the same currency that they use in Spain. Today they use the Ameri
can dollar
Economy
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. Plantation sugar production dominated Puerto Rico's economy until the 1940's.
Recently the economy has suffered budget cuts from the United States. The Puerto Rican economy has depended heavily on the tax incentives given to the U.S mainland companies and on federal transfers. In 1993, it is estimated that 100,000 Puerto Ricans were employed by companies and another 200,000 were indirectly unemployed.
Some economists say that the idea that Puerto Rico has an economy is somewhat misleading. Puerto Rico has very few natural resources of economic value and its economy relies mainly on Federal Aid from the U.S Government, which depends on the industrialization programs and the tax incentives that U.S offers.
The GDP of Puerto Rico is $67.87 billion and the purchasing power parity is $17,100. Puerto Rican workers that are covered by the U.S Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are subject only to the Federal minimum wage ($5.15) and all applicable regulations. Workers that are not covered my the FLSA will be subject to a minimum wage that is at least 70% of the Federal minimum wage or the applicable mandatory decree rate.
Tourism in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has a lot of exotic locations such as their white sand beaches, rain forests, and mountains. Puerto Rico is warm year round and usually has the most tourists from December through April. There are many great places to visit depending on what region of the country you are in. In the North, top spots include: Historic Old San Juan district and Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo. In the South there is the Serralles Castle and the Aguirre Forest Reserve. In the East you have El Yunque and the Luquillo Beach. In West there is the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge and the Mona Island Iglesia Porta Coeli.
Ernesto Antonio "Tito" Puente
One of the most famous Puerto Ricans is Tito Puente who was a pioneer in Latin Jazz and Salsa music. Tito was born April 20, 1923 and died June 1, 2000. He was best known as the "King of the Timbales" and the "King of Latin Jazz". Puente was most popular during the 1950's and popularized Afro-Cuban and Caribbean sounds like the Mambo, the Son, and the Cha-cha-cha. In his lifetime, he won many awards including five Grammy's. Tito was so famous in Puerto Rico that he had a session of the Puerto Rican Senate dedicated to him and even performed on the Senate floor.
Religion